Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Women and Men

[222]

XLIV. parochialism.

We are gradually clearing ourselves, in America, from the lingering spirit of colonialism. The change is fortunate, but even the civil war has not yet rid us of what may be called parochialism, or what would be called in Germany particularism--the impression that we are citizens of this or that commonwealth, or region, or city, instead of claiming allegiance to the Great Republic. The habit proceeds largely, no doubt, front the vast size of our land, which even railroads and migratory habits cannot easily compass. It is also strengthened, perhaps, by the absence of any satisfactory name for this great nation. Chad it been called Columbia or Washington the word would have been uncouth enough, but it would have carried with it a sense of unquestionable unity, which the collective phrase “United States” has seemed rather to deprecate. If something of this disadvantage has been felt all over the nation, it was still worse in those parts of it where the parochialism was thought to be an advantage, and was christened “State rights.” No doubt one reason